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Spooky Games Club #1
Broomsticks and Board Games
Dahlia Poplar is a genuine witch, an unofficial gofer, and Luna Lane’s only cursed resident.
With a werewolf best friend, a vampire ex-boyfriend, and a ghost for a hanger-on, Dahlia is far from the most unusual dweller of her sleepy small town, but she’s the only one unable to leave. Dahlia has to perform at least one good deed per day—or she’s one step closer to turning to stone.
Fortunately, the residents of Luna Lane have plenty of tasks for Dahlia to complete to avert the curse until Cable Woodward, fetching professor and nephew of her elderly neighbor, stops by for the semester on sabbatical. Attempting to help Cable’s uncle work through the trauma of losing his wife, Dahlia uncovers the man’s collection of board games, which leads to him reminiscing about the long-forgotten Luna Lane Games Club.
Dahlia reestablishes Games Club, only to find evidence of a number of horrible demises connected to the original group. While trying to uncover the truth about the deaths, Dahlia has to fight off her curse, protect her elderly neighbor from becoming the next victim, and most vexing of all, keep Cable from figuring out Luna Lane’s supernatural secrets. Only with eerie board games like these, there may not be a loser—or even a winner—who survives.
With a werewolf best friend, a vampire ex-boyfriend, and a ghost for a hanger-on, Dahlia is far from the most unusual dweller of her sleepy small town, but she’s the only one unable to leave. Dahlia has to perform at least one good deed per day—or she’s one step closer to turning to stone.
Fortunately, the residents of Luna Lane have plenty of tasks for Dahlia to complete to avert the curse until Cable Woodward, fetching professor and nephew of her elderly neighbor, stops by for the semester on sabbatical. Attempting to help Cable’s uncle work through the trauma of losing his wife, Dahlia uncovers the man’s collection of board games, which leads to him reminiscing about the long-forgotten Luna Lane Games Club.
Dahlia reestablishes Games Club, only to find evidence of a number of horrible demises connected to the original group. While trying to uncover the truth about the deaths, Dahlia has to fight off her curse, protect her elderly neighbor from becoming the next victim, and most vexing of all, keep Cable from figuring out Luna Lane’s supernatural secrets. Only with eerie board games like these, there may not be a loser—or even a winner—who survives.
296 pages, ebook
First published September 29, 2020
522 people are currently reading
1130 people want to read
About the author
Amy McNulty
35 books507 followersAmy McNulty is an editor and author of books that run the gamut from YA speculative fiction to contemporary romance. A lifelong fiction fanatic, she fangirls over books, anime, manga, comics, movies, games, and TV shows from her home state of Wisconsin. When not editing her clients’ novels, she’s busy fulfilling her dream by crafting fantastical worlds of her own.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
January 11, 2023
Pretty cute for a cozy mystery! I’ll read the next one.
January 12, 2021
What I enjoyed:
* Interesting concept, our heroine witch has been cursed where she has to do a good deed everyday or she will start turning to stone.
* The spooky games club is intriguing
* I want to know more about Eithne and the curse
What could have been better:
* Magic system is just saying words backwards?
* The ending
* Looks like a love triangle in the making
September 5, 2021
A different game night
A fun paranormal read with lots of excitement and a very strange game to figure out. Never a dull moment.
A fun paranormal read with lots of excitement and a very strange game to figure out. Never a dull moment.
May 12, 2024
This is the start of an adorable cozy mystery series set in a town full of paranormal creatures and some humans (who are in the know) too. The series focuses on the town witch, Dahlia, who is struggling with a curse put on her by another (evil) witch. To keep from turning to stone, Dahlia must complete one good deed every day. She becomes even more on edge when a new human (a handsome professor on sabbatical) arrives in town and she must try to hide the town's secrets to keep it safe. Full of fun and games and wonderful characters I am speeding through this series. I look forward to the coming books and hope the author plans to continue past the current book (#6).
September 9, 2020
Spooky Games Night is more than a little bit spooky. There is evil in the air. Is it the Evidence game? Or something else?
Dahlia Poplar is a witch who lives in Luna Lane and she wants an answer to that question. To complicate matters Cable Woodward has come to town to take care of his uncle. Luna Lane is a town full of paranormals such as vampires, shifters, a spiderwoman and Dahlia the witch as well as humans who are used to having the paranormals in town. Dahlia was cursed by the evil witch Eithnae Allaway to have to do a good deed a day or slowly turn to stone. There is so much going on now that Dahlia is having trouble keeping up with those daily good deeds. Her goal is to keep Cable from finding out about the paranormals in town and to solve the mystery of the game. The game that might be responsible for the deaths of some of its players.
Broomsticks and Board Games by Amy McNulty is the first book in this author's Spooky Games Club Mystery series. I really enjoy the stories where the supernatural beings work to stay under the radar of the unsuspecting humans around them. Somehow some humans always manage to find out though. This book has a very interesting storyline. Plus there's lots of action. The cast of characters is quite intriguing. I loved Dahlia's broomstick "Broomie" who was like a pet who loved to eat cornhusks. Such a different take on magic broomsticks. The mystery is solved but what will happen in the next book is the question. I can't wait to find out.
Dahlia Poplar is a witch who lives in Luna Lane and she wants an answer to that question. To complicate matters Cable Woodward has come to town to take care of his uncle. Luna Lane is a town full of paranormals such as vampires, shifters, a spiderwoman and Dahlia the witch as well as humans who are used to having the paranormals in town. Dahlia was cursed by the evil witch Eithnae Allaway to have to do a good deed a day or slowly turn to stone. There is so much going on now that Dahlia is having trouble keeping up with those daily good deeds. Her goal is to keep Cable from finding out about the paranormals in town and to solve the mystery of the game. The game that might be responsible for the deaths of some of its players.
Broomsticks and Board Games by Amy McNulty is the first book in this author's Spooky Games Club Mystery series. I really enjoy the stories where the supernatural beings work to stay under the radar of the unsuspecting humans around them. Somehow some humans always manage to find out though. This book has a very interesting storyline. Plus there's lots of action. The cast of characters is quite intriguing. I loved Dahlia's broomstick "Broomie" who was like a pet who loved to eat cornhusks. Such a different take on magic broomsticks. The mystery is solved but what will happen in the next book is the question. I can't wait to find out.
October 3, 2020
Games night turns scary when witch Dahlia, who is under a curse, finds the game Evidence to be more than just a board game. Living in a paranormal town, having vampire, werewolf and mummy friends, and a broom that acts like a cat, Dahlia figures out the clues. I loved the book. I received an advance readers copy of this book and I am leaving a voluntary review.
October 8, 2020
Such a fun read and Broomie is the cutest!
March 7, 2021
I was granted complimentary access to Broomsticks and Board Games via Audiobookworm Promotions as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Dahlia is a witch who must perform one good deed each day in order to ward off the curse that's slowly turning her to stone. She also can't leave town. Fortunately for Dahlia, this down is mostly populated by other paranormal beings and everyone is aware of her predicament, so there's no shortage of townsfolk asking her to lend a hand. When Cable Woodward, the very mundane nephew of her ageing neighbour shows up in town around the same time that Dahlia catches wind of trouble in the spirit world and evidence of an old murder turns up in her own back yard, Dahlia fears that everything is about to unravel. Can she solve the mysteries popping up around her? Can she get this nosy mundane off her back and protect her paranormal town from the outside world? And what's with the Clue-knockoff boardgame her ageing neighbour is suddenly so desperate for the town to sit down and play?
This is a quick and easy read, and it's so much fun! There are no dull moments to be found, and this perfect blend of fantasy world-building, elements of mystery, romantic teases, and great friendships all add up to a nerdy dream that demands to be read (or listened to) all in one sitting. Dahlia is a very likable and relatable main character and the perfect POV for this story. I think my favourite minor detail is the fact that this witch's very catlike animate broom is actually possessed by the spirit of her first cat. What an adorable detail!
I see that list is labelled as book one and that makes me very excited! Before I noticed that I was going to comment that while this book stands on its own very well and comes to a satisfying conclusion, I don't want to be done with Dahlia or this town. There's definitely a lot more that can be done here, and I'll be back to find out what happens next!
I would recommend this to all lovers of fantasy and cozy mysteries.
In terms of narration performance, Danielle Daly does a wonderful job. This book only contains one POV, so I can't comment too much on the narrator's talent at making different voices distinct, but I definitely didn't have any trouble telling which lines of dialogue were Dahlia vs anyone else, even in places where the written version of this novel might rely on the visual indicators of paragraph breaks. Daly's voice and pacing were perfect for the story, and I listened quite comfortably at my usual 1.5x playback speed.
5 stars all around!
Dahlia is a witch who must perform one good deed each day in order to ward off the curse that's slowly turning her to stone. She also can't leave town. Fortunately for Dahlia, this down is mostly populated by other paranormal beings and everyone is aware of her predicament, so there's no shortage of townsfolk asking her to lend a hand. When Cable Woodward, the very mundane nephew of her ageing neighbour shows up in town around the same time that Dahlia catches wind of trouble in the spirit world and evidence of an old murder turns up in her own back yard, Dahlia fears that everything is about to unravel. Can she solve the mysteries popping up around her? Can she get this nosy mundane off her back and protect her paranormal town from the outside world? And what's with the Clue-knockoff boardgame her ageing neighbour is suddenly so desperate for the town to sit down and play?
This is a quick and easy read, and it's so much fun! There are no dull moments to be found, and this perfect blend of fantasy world-building, elements of mystery, romantic teases, and great friendships all add up to a nerdy dream that demands to be read (or listened to) all in one sitting. Dahlia is a very likable and relatable main character and the perfect POV for this story. I think my favourite minor detail is the fact that this witch's very catlike animate broom is actually possessed by the spirit of her first cat. What an adorable detail!
I see that list is labelled as book one and that makes me very excited! Before I noticed that I was going to comment that while this book stands on its own very well and comes to a satisfying conclusion, I don't want to be done with Dahlia or this town. There's definitely a lot more that can be done here, and I'll be back to find out what happens next!
I would recommend this to all lovers of fantasy and cozy mysteries.
In terms of narration performance, Danielle Daly does a wonderful job. This book only contains one POV, so I can't comment too much on the narrator's talent at making different voices distinct, but I definitely didn't have any trouble telling which lines of dialogue were Dahlia vs anyone else, even in places where the written version of this novel might rely on the visual indicators of paragraph breaks. Daly's voice and pacing were perfect for the story, and I listened quite comfortably at my usual 1.5x playback speed.
5 stars all around!
March 4, 2021
The Review
This was the perfect blend of a cozy mystery, YA fantasy, and paranormal thriller. The book builds intrigue by slowly introducing the protagonist and the mystery surrounding the paranormal community of Luna Lane. Quickly however the novel takes readers on a series of twists and turns that not only introduce some memorable members of this cast of characters but keep the reader on the edge of their seat as both personal and grander threats push Dahlia to the edge.
The audiobook did a great job of drawing the reader in. Between the amazing world-building author Amy McNulty does and the genre-fusion that this story becomes and the soothing yet commanding voice work of narrator Danielle Daly that kept the reader invested, this audiobook was both entertaining and enthralling all at once.
The Verdict
A thrilling, memorable, and engaging read, author Amy McNulty’s “Broomsticks and Board Games” is a fantastic start to the Spooky Games Club series. The cast of characters is quite remarkable and both humorous and entertaining, while the chilling mystery behind both the games club and Dahlia’s curse keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. With a powerful story and equally powerful narrator, this is one audiobook you won’t want to miss. Be sure to grab your copy today!
This was the perfect blend of a cozy mystery, YA fantasy, and paranormal thriller. The book builds intrigue by slowly introducing the protagonist and the mystery surrounding the paranormal community of Luna Lane. Quickly however the novel takes readers on a series of twists and turns that not only introduce some memorable members of this cast of characters but keep the reader on the edge of their seat as both personal and grander threats push Dahlia to the edge.
The audiobook did a great job of drawing the reader in. Between the amazing world-building author Amy McNulty does and the genre-fusion that this story becomes and the soothing yet commanding voice work of narrator Danielle Daly that kept the reader invested, this audiobook was both entertaining and enthralling all at once.
The Verdict
A thrilling, memorable, and engaging read, author Amy McNulty’s “Broomsticks and Board Games” is a fantastic start to the Spooky Games Club series. The cast of characters is quite remarkable and both humorous and entertaining, while the chilling mystery behind both the games club and Dahlia’s curse keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. With a powerful story and equally powerful narrator, this is one audiobook you won’t want to miss. Be sure to grab your copy today!
June 30, 2021
I was totally pulled into this story and really looking forward to my next "visit" with the characters of Luna Lane.. Dahlia is a witch who is cursed and forced to never leave this small town setting... But with human, ghost, werewolf and vampire friends helping her with her daily curse tasks, I doubt she'll ever be lonely!
This was a great first book in a very unique Cozy Mystery series.. There is a mystery involving a game board to be solved and many questions to be answered so if you're looking for something fun to read that will keep you guessing, then this will surely be of great entertainment!
This was a great first book in a very unique Cozy Mystery series.. There is a mystery involving a game board to be solved and many questions to be answered so if you're looking for something fun to read that will keep you guessing, then this will surely be of great entertainment!
June 3, 2021
TI EVOL! I really enjoyed this new to me series by Amy McNulty. A paranormal town living in the middle of the “real world”. Each little sector of the magical world has their own story and it intertwines in this town perfectly. The spin of non-paranormal was a fun twist that I really enjoyed.
The story moved at a nice pace as we learned about the town and the characters. The twist then happens when they figure out what is going on and who’s is at fault. I really enjoyed getting to know those and can’t wait to go on more adventures with those in this cast of characters.
The story moved at a nice pace as we learned about the town and the characters. The twist then happens when they figure out what is going on and who’s is at fault. I really enjoyed getting to know those and can’t wait to go on more adventures with those in this cast of characters.
July 17, 2021
A brand new cozy series and it is based on games, count me in! Dahlia is a community member of Luna Lane, a town filled with humans and paranormals. Dahlia is a witch who has been cursed and must do a good deed each day. Even though the mystery takes a few chapters to be revealed, Amy McNulty keeps the plot going with great character development and town background. Once the mystery is introduced, the story hooked me even more as I tried to work out the clues with Dahlia. Help in solving comes in quite a few different ways, all tying together well. Dahlia and her friends were entertaining to read about and I am eager for the next book in the series!
Thank you Amy McNulty for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you Amy McNulty for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 6, 2020
Wow! this book was good
In an avid reader who reads lots of cozy mysteries and this book was above and beyond the typical cozy. I grew invested in the characters in only the first few chapters with takes a gifted author. I had no idea where the mystery was heading and I was completely hooked. This was a refreshing and unique book that wasn't the typical story in this genre therefore it was an amazing read. Loved It!
In an avid reader who reads lots of cozy mysteries and this book was above and beyond the typical cozy. I grew invested in the characters in only the first few chapters with takes a gifted author. I had no idea where the mystery was heading and I was completely hooked. This was a refreshing and unique book that wasn't the typical story in this genre therefore it was an amazing read. Loved It!
February 3, 2021
Fun story with some really unusual characters and a great mystery. I was definitely hooked and needed to know the answers.The board game definitely played an important part in the story. Broomie, Dahlia’s broomstick, has a personality all his own. Can’t wait to learn more about the curse that keeps Dahlia stuck in the town and forced to do good deeds. Lots of surprising twists. Love how the people in the town are there for each other.
February 18, 2021
Fun and Unique Paranormal Cozy
This was a slightly dark take on the traditional paranormal cozy, and I like that! Take fun world building, likable characters, enchanted board games, and a uniquely cursed witch and add in a good mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end, and you have this delightful debut to a new series. The narrator did an excellent job bringing different voices to each character and in speaking the spells! Come for the mystery, stay for Broomie – who will win your heart.
This was a slightly dark take on the traditional paranormal cozy, and I like that! Take fun world building, likable characters, enchanted board games, and a uniquely cursed witch and add in a good mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end, and you have this delightful debut to a new series. The narrator did an excellent job bringing different voices to each character and in speaking the spells! Come for the mystery, stay for Broomie – who will win your heart.
February 23, 2024
A cozy mystery revolving around a witch and her other paranormal friends. It was a little slow for me to get into, and the end didn't blow me away, but overall, I enjoyed it. I will probably read the others in this series when I'm bored or want a quick read. It is a kindle Unlimited book, which is always a plus
September 9, 2020
I’ve read several books featuring someone trapped in a small town by a curse lately but this one really held my interest. A mystery revolving around a board game club was a fun idea. And I really like Broomie, the author’s unique take on a witch’s broomstick.
November 26, 2020
This was a really cute, sweet magical cozy! The characters were interesting and the story line held my attention very well.
September 23, 2024
I finished it. Not my kind of book
January 14, 2021
I loved this book. The plot makes me think of the film Jumanji with a paranormal twist and a good dose of clue (cluedo) mixed in and I loved it. Cluedo was my favourite game growing up as a child, although I don't think I would have liked playing this game but it makes for a great story and a uniquely different adventure. This is a new author for me but it won't be my last book as I will definitely be jumping (hopefully not literally) into book two. I loved the characters, from the main character to her many and various friends, I especially liked the way the author gave the old witches broom a personality. The author has created a clever mystery that keeps you guessing not only who the killer was but also where the story was going to go next. I also liked that it was set in a small town, so everybody knew everybody. With the addition of the curse on the main character it is certainly a very different cozy witch mystery and one I will be recommending to my mum.
Dahlia is a witch that is cursed. Everyday she must carry out an act of kindness, if she fails part of her will turn to stone. While trying to do her good deed for the day she is sent up into the attic of an elderly man to collect a board game and unwittingly gets embroiled in a murder. The game is no ordinary game and the players keep changing to towns folk who have moved away from the town or died. But have they? The game unearths certain memories in the elderly and forgetful neighbour which leads to two skeletons buried in Dahlia's garden. What is going on? And will Dahlia and her friends have to finish the game to find out? At the same time the elderly man's nephew has come to help look after his uncle but being a normal can the town keep there secret from him, as well as find a killer?
I liked the narrator and thought she did an excellent job of bringing this magical story to life.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Dahlia is a witch that is cursed. Everyday she must carry out an act of kindness, if she fails part of her will turn to stone. While trying to do her good deed for the day she is sent up into the attic of an elderly man to collect a board game and unwittingly gets embroiled in a murder. The game is no ordinary game and the players keep changing to towns folk who have moved away from the town or died. But have they? The game unearths certain memories in the elderly and forgetful neighbour which leads to two skeletons buried in Dahlia's garden. What is going on? And will Dahlia and her friends have to finish the game to find out? At the same time the elderly man's nephew has come to help look after his uncle but being a normal can the town keep there secret from him, as well as find a killer?
I liked the narrator and thought she did an excellent job of bringing this magical story to life.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 7, 2021
Really enjoyable book
This was the first book I've read by this author and I loved it. It was unusual and different. I love the characters. The story was well written as well. I will be reading more.
This was the first book I've read by this author and I loved it. It was unusual and different. I love the characters. The story was well written as well. I will be reading more.
October 17, 2024
2.75 stars
September 29, 2020
I love a good paranormal cozy and this book definitely counts as that. A cursed board game is unique and I loved a town full of paranormal beings. The characters are quite quirky Andi loved Davis and Broomie. I received an ARC of this book book from the author and I'm voluntarily providing an honest review.
October 14, 2023
This popped up on my Kindle as a recommendation. I love board games so I thought it would be a good match. It was! I love Clue and the board game in this book is similar but cursed. I really had fun reading this one. I liked the characters. I'm curious about Eithne, the witch who cursed the game. I will be reading more of this series.
October 3, 2021
BROOMSTICKS AND BOARD GAMES is the first book in the Spooky Games Club Mystery series.
This story is fun and the new world that has been built for these characters is NOT a carbon-copy of every other paranormal cozy-mystery. The world-building is done at a slow, even pace so that there was over-whelming “info dump.”
I love that Dahlia and the citizens of Luna Lane have formed a sort of family. They know about her curse (She must perform one good deed every day or she will slowly turn to stone. Plus she is not allowed to leave the town limits.), and do what they can to assist her in meeting the demands without demeaning her. Rather, they have embraced her, and all seem truly concerned about her. She cares about them in return.
I loved this quirky world and the unique relationships that are held by these characters. The cozy mystery is perfectly paced, fun, with just a touch of spooky/scary. I loved the dashes of humor, hint of romance, and great twists and turns leading to the ending.
Narration: Danielle Daly is a new-to-me voice talent, and she has it down pat! Great enunciation and beautiful “theater of the mind” expression. The sound quality of the recording starts out a little hollow, but clears up be the end of the second chapter.
Note: While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy via Audio BookBoom, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: BROOMSTICKS AND BOARD GAMES
Series: Spooky Games Club Mystery #1
Category /Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Recommended for: 14
Listenability: OK for ears
Received from: Amy McNulty (as an Audible gifted copy)
This story is fun and the new world that has been built for these characters is NOT a carbon-copy of every other paranormal cozy-mystery. The world-building is done at a slow, even pace so that there was over-whelming “info dump.”
I love that Dahlia and the citizens of Luna Lane have formed a sort of family. They know about her curse (She must perform one good deed every day or she will slowly turn to stone. Plus she is not allowed to leave the town limits.), and do what they can to assist her in meeting the demands without demeaning her. Rather, they have embraced her, and all seem truly concerned about her. She cares about them in return.
I loved this quirky world and the unique relationships that are held by these characters. The cozy mystery is perfectly paced, fun, with just a touch of spooky/scary. I loved the dashes of humor, hint of romance, and great twists and turns leading to the ending.
Narration: Danielle Daly is a new-to-me voice talent, and she has it down pat! Great enunciation and beautiful “theater of the mind” expression. The sound quality of the recording starts out a little hollow, but clears up be the end of the second chapter.
Note: While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy via Audio BookBoom, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: BROOMSTICKS AND BOARD GAMES
Series: Spooky Games Club Mystery #1
Category /Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Recommended for: 14
Listenability: OK for ears
Received from: Amy McNulty (as an Audible gifted copy)
February 8, 2021
Love
Dahlia is a witch who is cursed, she’s turning into a gargoyle unless she does one good deed a day. But when that good deed takes her a few days to complete, there’s no way she can survive
Dahlia is a witch who is cursed, she’s turning into a gargoyle unless she does one good deed a day. But when that good deed takes her a few days to complete, there’s no way she can survive
September 5, 2024
Cute, cozy mystery. Great for spooky season and was a quick read. Not the typical style of book I read but I enjoyed it!
March 6, 2021
Initial Thoughts
I was excited to be chosen for this tour. I don’t get to read cozy mysteries that often but I really enjoy them when I do. I also love all things involving witches so I thought this would be a fun listen.
Some Things I Liked
Witches and magic. I love supernatural themes in a cozy mystery. I’m easily scared so I don’t read anything spooky but I love witches and the like so seeing them in less scary settings is perfect for me.
Board game theme. I thought the board games angle was really unique and something I hadn’t seen before. I love it when an author can take something ordinary or that I hadn’t seen before and make a really interesting story that doesn’t come across as cheesy. I think the board games theme was really well done here.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
Lack of romance. I can’t exactly fault the book for not having much romance when it’s not pegged as a romance story, but I felt there were opportunities for romance and they were not explored. I wanted more romance and therefore, thought the book felt a bit incomplete.
Series Value
I enjoyed this book. I’m not sure if I’d pick up the next one any time soon but I definitely wouldn’t rule it out. I liked the narrator so I might wait until book 2 is available as an audiobook before continuing.
Audiobook Value
I listened to this book at 3x speed without issue. Well no, that’s not entirely true. I did have one issue. I thought I was misunderstanding “Cable” and I was hearing “Caleb” but with an accent. This is not the narrator’s fault at all, it’s the character’s name that was different than what I was expecting. I was, in fact, hearing the name as it was intended, I just didn’t think that was the name.
I liked that the narrator had distinct voices for each character and I enjoyed the drama she added to the story with her storytelling.
I didn’t love her voice for this story though. Perhaps it was the lowness of the voice, but I found myself getting easily distracted with other things while listening. Essentially, the voice didn’t “grab me” the way I would have liked for the nature of this story.
Overall, I think Danielle Daly is a wonderful voice actress but for this story, the sound of her voice didn’t keep my attention as well as I’d like.
Final Thoughts
I liked this book. It was a quick listen (all in one shot) and has a promising storyline. I’d like to see more romance develop in the future but I would continue with this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Haunted on Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase – if you enjoyed the cozy mystery vibes but are looking for something with more romance and steam, try this series. It’s also great on audio!
Southern Magic by Amy Boyles – if you’re looking for another audiobook, cozy mystery with witches, look no further than the Sweet Tea Mysteries series.
I was excited to be chosen for this tour. I don’t get to read cozy mysteries that often but I really enjoy them when I do. I also love all things involving witches so I thought this would be a fun listen.
Some Things I Liked
Witches and magic. I love supernatural themes in a cozy mystery. I’m easily scared so I don’t read anything spooky but I love witches and the like so seeing them in less scary settings is perfect for me.
Board game theme. I thought the board games angle was really unique and something I hadn’t seen before. I love it when an author can take something ordinary or that I hadn’t seen before and make a really interesting story that doesn’t come across as cheesy. I think the board games theme was really well done here.
One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
Lack of romance. I can’t exactly fault the book for not having much romance when it’s not pegged as a romance story, but I felt there were opportunities for romance and they were not explored. I wanted more romance and therefore, thought the book felt a bit incomplete.
Series Value
I enjoyed this book. I’m not sure if I’d pick up the next one any time soon but I definitely wouldn’t rule it out. I liked the narrator so I might wait until book 2 is available as an audiobook before continuing.
Audiobook Value
I listened to this book at 3x speed without issue. Well no, that’s not entirely true. I did have one issue. I thought I was misunderstanding “Cable” and I was hearing “Caleb” but with an accent. This is not the narrator’s fault at all, it’s the character’s name that was different than what I was expecting. I was, in fact, hearing the name as it was intended, I just didn’t think that was the name.
I liked that the narrator had distinct voices for each character and I enjoyed the drama she added to the story with her storytelling.
I didn’t love her voice for this story though. Perhaps it was the lowness of the voice, but I found myself getting easily distracted with other things while listening. Essentially, the voice didn’t “grab me” the way I would have liked for the nature of this story.
Overall, I think Danielle Daly is a wonderful voice actress but for this story, the sound of her voice didn’t keep my attention as well as I’d like.
Final Thoughts
I liked this book. It was a quick listen (all in one shot) and has a promising storyline. I’d like to see more romance develop in the future but I would continue with this series.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendations for Further Reading
Haunted on Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase – if you enjoyed the cozy mystery vibes but are looking for something with more romance and steam, try this series. It’s also great on audio!
Southern Magic by Amy Boyles – if you’re looking for another audiobook, cozy mystery with witches, look no further than the Sweet Tea Mysteries series.
October 1, 2024
This was a cute cozy mystery.
I picked it up on a whim during stuff your kindle day, and since it's fall I thought this would be such a perfect cozy read.
Dahlia is a little frustrating at times, in this book, but I think her heart is in the right place, and I think she is a cute character over all. She is cursed to do one good deed a day, before sunset, or she will continue to turn to stone. I really want to know more about the connection between Cinnamon (her mother) and Ethine (the witch that cursed her) because it seems like there is more there than meets the eye.
Cable, who I'm guessing will be a love interest, is a handsome nerdy professor here to help his aging uncle. He feels a little bumbling and well meaning, but in the beginning especially it seems like he is not to bright. (The town is REALLY bad at keeping it's secrets). Overall though, if he does end up being a love interest I think he would be a good foil for Dahlia.
Overall, the characters are really cute and varied. I like the mix of human and paranormal, and the mix of personalities and ethnicities. I think it makes the little town of Luna Lane more interesting. The mystery itself wasn't bad, though I think it relied to heavily on us being told clues instead of finding clues. That could just be because the book is relatively short, and with fewer pages there is less chance for world building and exposition. I'm also still not clear on how they were playing the game wrong, since it seems like the rules stated the way they were playing was correct?
I'm not sure.
Either way, this was a cute book. I may read another if I want another cozy mystery in my fall reading.
I picked it up on a whim during stuff your kindle day, and since it's fall I thought this would be such a perfect cozy read.
Dahlia is a little frustrating at times, in this book, but I think her heart is in the right place, and I think she is a cute character over all. She is cursed to do one good deed a day, before sunset, or she will continue to turn to stone. I really want to know more about the connection between Cinnamon (her mother) and Ethine (the witch that cursed her) because it seems like there is more there than meets the eye.
Cable, who I'm guessing will be a love interest, is a handsome nerdy professor here to help his aging uncle. He feels a little bumbling and well meaning, but in the beginning especially it seems like he is not to bright. (The town is REALLY bad at keeping it's secrets). Overall though, if he does end up being a love interest I think he would be a good foil for Dahlia.
Overall, the characters are really cute and varied. I like the mix of human and paranormal, and the mix of personalities and ethnicities. I think it makes the little town of Luna Lane more interesting. The mystery itself wasn't bad, though I think it relied to heavily on us being told clues instead of finding clues. That could just be because the book is relatively short, and with fewer pages there is less chance for world building and exposition. I'm also still not clear on how they were playing the game wrong, since it seems like the rules stated the way they were playing was correct?
I'm not sure.
Either way, this was a cute book. I may read another if I want another cozy mystery in my fall reading.
October 3, 2020
Full disclosure, I got this as an ARC in exchange for a review. I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and was not disappointed. A paranormal mystery full of great characters and fast-paced plot. Luna Lane is a unique place, full of the supernatural. Dahlia Poplar is a Witch, and a cursed one at that. She must do one good deed a day or risk turning slowly into stone. While helping her elderly neighbor find a game, she slips and falls into the arms of his nephew, Cable, a normie. Dahlia fears that Luna Lane’s secrets will get out and she attempts to hide the truth. Additionally, she revives the Games Club, a group that her neighbor Milton was a part of in the past. Her hope is to help him with the loss of his wife. She quickly discovers that there is more to the game, Evidence, than meets the eye. When bodies are discovered, questions quickly raise about whether the quiet Luna Lane is a place of crime, past and present. I really liked the MC and her supporting supernatural characters. In particular, I enjoyed Broomie, a fun twist on pet and witch’s broomstick. This is a promising start to a series and I can’t wait to see what is next in store for Luna Lane’s Spooky Games Club.
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